Mujuru in fresh name wrangle, NPP was formed by Chiseri in 1994

Tinashe Zisengwe

Newly named political outfit, National People’s Party, leader Joice Mujuru’s is in fresh name wrangle after Amos Chiseri released a statement today accusing her of stealing the name of a party he formed in 1994 and later joined a coalition with Tekere’s ZUM in the 1995 elections, but never dissolved it.

Mujuru named the party on last Friday after a deadlock with Zim People first elders comprising of Didymus Mutasa and Rugare Gumbo who also accused her of trying to steal their name after they parted ways last month.

In a press statement issued by founder and president of the original National People’s Party, (NPP) Chiseri, the party is accusing Mujuru for stealing their name.

The statement reads, I have learnt with dismay and concern that the wife of the late General Solomon Mujuru has adopted my party name for her fragmented outfit formerly known as ZimPF.

Let me categorically clarify that NPP was formed in 1994 and later joined a coalition with Tekere’s ZUM in the 1995 elections. The party was never dissolved and we have no plans to fold up in the near future.

The new move by Mai Mujuru is shocking as she is well aware of our existence. Taking our name without even consulting us was a deliberate malicious move which will not go unchallenged.

The NPP is in the process of making overtures to political parties in CODE with an intention of joining the coalition ahead of the 2018 plebiscite. We have also scheduled a meeting with Mr Morgan Tsvangirai of the MDC T in a bid to join a coalition of opposition parties. Mai Mujuru’s stunt compromises our party in these coalition talks.

We are giving Mai Mujuru and her team 14 days to find a new name or we drag them to courts.

We advise our party members and partners to remain focused and not to be shaken by these machinations of our detractors which are aimed at destabilising our party.